Mordechai's Religious Identity/2

From AlHaTorah.org
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Mordechai's Religious Identity

Exegetical Approaches

This page is a stub.
Please contact us if you would like to assist in its development.

Spiritual Leader (גדול הדור)

What type of leader? Seder Olam Rabbah asserts that Mordechai was a prophet,1 while the Bavli and many in its wake2 say Mordechai was one of the Sanhedrin.  According to these sources Mordechai was actively involved in leading the nation in a Torah lifestyle.  Thus, Esther Rabbah presents him as warning the nation not to join Achashverosh's party and its accompanying promiscuity and has him teaching Torah to both adults and children.
Keeping Mitzvot – According to all these commentators, Mordechai was a fully observant Jew.  R"A Saba notes how virtuous this makes Mordechai considering that he was both in exile and a servant in the king's court,3 two conditions which would have made many leave their faith.4 These sources point to a variety of commandments that Mordechai was involved in including learning Torah,5 not bowing to idolatry,6 keeping kosher,7 and praying.8 For most of these, there is no explicit evidence in the Megillah.
"אִישׁ יְהוּדִי" – Many of these commentators9 suggest that this extra title is intended to highlight that Mordechai's Judaism was one of his defining characteristics.
  • R. Saba asserts that it shows how he managed to be a Jew in all he did, despite the negative influences from the palace and Shushan.10
  • Others suggest a play on words with Esther Rabbah claiming that Mordechai  "ייחד שם ה'"‎ 11and the First Targum suggesting that he was always "מודה ומצלי קדם אלהא", thanking  and praying to Hashem.
Why conceal Esther's religious identity? According to this approach, the secret was meant to aid Esther in her Torah observance:12
  • Rashi asserts that Mordechai thought that hiding Esther's identity would reduce her chances of becoming queen13 and help her avoid the difficulties that palace life would place on maintaining a Jewish lifestyle. 
  • According to Ibn Ezra, Mordechai felt that Esther would be better able to keep Hashem's commandments if her Judaism was not known.14
"וּמׇרְדֳּכַי יֹשֵׁב בְּשַׁעַר הַמֶּלֶךְ" – R. Saba15 raises a possible criticism of Mordechai for "sitting at the king's gate" and being involved in court life rather than involving himself in Torah.16  He, nonetheless, defends the decision by pointing out that the verse purposefully adds, "בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם" to suggest that this was only during a specific time period, when the nation was in potential danger. Mordechai only refrained from Torah study because the thought that his positioning might save the nation.
Mordechai's refusal to bow – This approach asserts that Mordechai's action was motivated by a desire to avoid violating a religious prohibition.
  • Idolatry – Most claim that Haman had either proclaimed himself a deity17 or worn an idol on his clothing.18
  • Bowing to a human – On the other hand, R. Yosef Kara says there is a religious prohibition to bow down to an human, unconnected to worship of idolatry.19
"וַיִּזְעַק זְעָקָה גְדוֹלָה וּמָרָה" – ?? assume that this cry was a cry to Hashem and hints to Mordechai's prayers.
Mordechai's name – Mordechai's name seems to be related to that of the foreign god, Marduk, a strange choice for an observant Jew.  Chulin 139b distances itself from this possibility by suggesting that his name is a translation of מר דרור.
Religious identity of the whole nation – Bavli Megillah and others following it assert that the nation sinned in joining Achashverosh's party.  R. Saba even suggests that Esther's fast was to atone for the nation's eating. He further asserts that they all bowed down to Haman, and Mordechai's refusal was a corrective.
Absence of Hashem in the Megillah – The absence of Hashem's name might not connote a lack of religiosity, but might rather be an attempt to prevent desecration of Hashem's name.20
"וְרָצוּי לְרֹב אֶחָיו"
  • Critique of Mordechai – Bavli Megillah 16b21 explains that Mordechai wasn't acceptable to all his brethren because some of the Sanhedrin withdrew from him once he became second in command and stopped learning.  R"Y Kara alternatively suggests that some people blamed Mordechai for his refusal to bow and its consequences.22
  • Neutral Statement – Ibn Ezra suggests that it is impossible for someone to please everybody while Rashbam suggests that the verse simply means that he was liked by everyone.

Simple Jew (עם הארץ)

Position of leadership? R. Reggio
Keeping Mitzvot – According to R. Reggio, Mordechai was an observant, but not particularly knowledgeable Jew.  Observance, moreover, was not always his highest priority, and not something that he necessarily preached to others. Thus, he never warns Esther to uphold belief in one God and reject Persian polytheism or to try and keep the laws of kashrut. Instead, he does all in his power to get her to become queen, despite the fact that it will make observance more difficult.
"אִישׁ יְהוּדִי" – R. Reggio asserts that the Megillah's introduction of Mordechai as an "אִישׁ יְהוּדִי" without any further titles suggests that he had none, being only a layperson and not a spiritual leader.  He points to other Biblical characters who are similarly introduced only by their name and location,23 and notes that each of these, too, are simply one of the masses.24
Why conceal Esther's religious identity? According to R. Reggio this was an effort to help Esther become queen.  Her lowly exilic roots would have lowered her chances so Mordechai advised Esther to hide them.25
"וּמׇרְדֳּכַי יֹשֵׁב בְּשַׁעַר הַמֶּלֶךְ"
Mordechai's refusal to bow – R. Reggio suggests that Mordechai mistakenly assumed that one may not bow to a human and that he endangered the entire nation due to his erroneous piety.
"וַיִּזְעַק זְעָקָה גְדוֹלָה וּמָרָה" – According to R. Reggio this cry is not one of prayer, but of pure distress.  Mordechai was so distraught regarding his mistake26 that he was not even capable of thinking clearly and it never even occurred to him to pray to Hashem for salvation.
Mordechai's name
Religious identity of the whole nation
Absence of Hashem in the Megillah
"וְרָצוּי לְרֹב אֶחָיו"

Assimilated Persian

Sources:R. Yaacov Medan27
Keeping Mitzvot
"אִישׁ יְהוּדִי"
Why conceal Esther's religious identity?
"וּמׇרְדֳּכַי יֹשֵׁב בְּשַׁעַר הַמֶּלֶךְ"
Mordechai's refusal to bow
"וַיִּזְעַק זְעָקָה גְדוֹלָה וּמָרָה"
Mordechai's name
Religious identity of the whole nation
Absence of Hashem in the Megillah
"וְרָצוּי לְרֹב אֶחָיו"